Improvement in fire-escapes



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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

GEORGE N. SHISHMANIAN, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENTIN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l95,052, datedSeptember 11, 1877; application filed June 30, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE N. SHISH- MANIAN,of Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is aspecification:

Figure 1 is a vertical section on line w a; in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a planview.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts.

My invention consists of an air-cushion, having a concave upper surface,in the center of which there is an opening of sufficient size to admit apersons body. Ihe said cushion is supported above a suitable car bystandards that rest upon springs.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus for receivingwithout injury persons or goods falling from windows of burningbuildings.

In the drawings, A is a car, having a body, B, that is supported onsprings a attached to the axles. The body contains seats b c, which arecapable of receiving several persons.

In the four corners of the body there are vertical tubular posts O, inwhich springs d are placed. Upon these springs standards D rest.

To the upper ends of these standards a a frame, E, is secured, to whichan elastic aircushion, F, is attached.

The air-cushion F has a thick rounded edge, e, which lies above andprojects over the frame E, and it has a central opening, f, of sucientsize to admit the body of a person. The upper surface of the air-cushioninclines downward toward the center, so that anything falling on thecushion rolls toward the opening j'. The entire cushion is hollow, andis lled with air.

When the apparatus is to be used it is drawn near the building, andbeneath the window from which escape is to be made. The person desiringto reach the ground jumps into the concave surface of the aircushion andescapes through the central aperture f to the car below. The moment-umof the fall is broken by the cushion, and is arrested by the action ofthe springs d. Goods may be thrown upon the cushion without fear ofbreaking them.

The apparatus can be readily moved from place to place, and is moremanageable and A reliable than ladders.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- A wheeled vehicle provided with a superposed concavecushion, F, apertured at the center, and near the outer edges supportedby standards resting on springs, as shown and described.

GEORGE N. SHISHMANIAN.

Witnesses:

CAEAHEG INEsRoBE, R. 'I'. BYENE.

